Easy Falafel Recipe

Cook Beautiful Arabic Food

Falafel is vegetarians’ answer to
meatballs. These deep-fried orbs made out of ground fava beans, chickpeas or
both, are crunchy balls of pleasure from the land of Middle East.

These falafel
balls packed within flatbreads like lafas or pitas make one of the most amazing
comfort food that Middle Eastern cuisine has to offer.

Falafel smothered with
tahini and hot sauce, along with yummy toppings of pickled vegetables and
salads has the potential to make even a hardcore meat lover drool! So just
imagine what it could to a vegetarian?

The Copts of Egypt deserves special thanks
from all the falafel lovers, for discovering these yummy balls as a substitute
for meat during the time of Lent.

Eventually, the culinary goodness of this
dish spread throughout the rest of Middle East, and it slowly evolved as one of
the most popular street food in this part of the world.

Apart from ruling the
streets, falafel also makes its appearance in the daily meal or meze as well as
in iftar or the dinner spread served to break fast during Ramadan

No matter
when you have falafel, be prepared to be welcomed by a delightful contrast of
crispy coating with soft, spicy and overtly delicious interiors.

So set the usual croquettes and fritters
aside and enjoy a slice of Middle East with falafel.

Ingredients in Falafels

Makes: 20 balls

Ingredients:

·
1 cup dry chickpeas, soaked
overnight and drained

·
6 tbsp all purpose flour

·
5 garlic cloves

·
1 small onion

·
1 tsp baking powder

·
½ cup fresh parsley, finely
chopped

·
½ cp fresh cilantro, finely
chopped

·
Oil for frying

·
2 tsp ground cumin

·
1 tsp ground coriander

·
Dash of chilli flakes

·
1 tsp salt

Method:

·
Add the chickpeas to a food
processor, along with garlic, onions, cilantro as well as parsley and pulse
them into a mashed mixture.

·
Transfer the mixture to a large
mixing bowl and sprinkle the spices and salt, one after another.

·
Stir them all together and then
add the flour as well as the baking powder.

·
Mix them thoroughly yet again,
into a uniform mixture, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or more.

·
Take small portions of the
mixture in your hands and shape them into small round balls.